Decorative button for garments and the like.



G. C. SNYDER.

DECORATIVE BUTTON FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE.-

APPLICATIONIILEDJUNEIZ,1915.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. SNYDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DECORATIVE BUTTON FOR GARMENTS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 12, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Decorative Buttons for Garments and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to buttons for garments and the like, and particularly to decorative buttons intended primarily for ornamentation of wearing apparel.

The object of the invention is to provide a button of the foregoing type which is universally capable, irrespective of the size of the button, of being firmly attached to any one of a wide range of different fabrics from the sheerest veiling to relatively thick fabric and to present, when so attached, a finished and neat appearance, irrespective of whether the button is viewed from the front or from the back.

With these ends in view, the invention consists in forming the button of two interlocking membersadapted to be placed on either side of an intervening portion of perforated fabric and having means associated therewith for mechanically locking the two members together to firmly grip the intervening fabric between the two members of the button. Each member of the button has applied thereto a fabric covering, the pur pose of which is two-fold, in that the coverings not only cause the button to present a finished and neat appearance, irrespective of whether the button is viewed from the front or rear, but they render it possible to apply the buttons to the very thinnest of fabrics without danger of injuring the same or subsequently becoming unattached. The members of the button and the interlocking means are so designed that when the two members of the button are interlocked, portions of the under surface of each of the members will come into close proximity with each other in such a way as to be capable of clamping the intervening fabric between them. The fabric coverings for the button members are so applied that these portions of the under surfaces of the button members will also be covered by a portion of th fa ric coverings, thus providing a fab:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Serial No. 33,748.

ric covering for all parts of the button members which would normally come in actual contact with the intervening fabric to which the button is applied. The intervening garment fabric may, therefore, be clamped between fabric-covered surfaces of the button members, thus preventing injury to the clamped fabric and insuring a maximum gripping effect of the button members on the garment fabric.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of fabric with the improved decorative buttons attached thereto, a part of the fabric being turned back to expose the under side of the buttons; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the two members of the button showing the same on opposite sides of an intervening portion of fabric before setting; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the position which the button members assume after setting; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the two button members attached to an intervening portion of fabric.

Referring to the drawing, the two members of the button are designated by the reference characters A and B, respectively. Each member has associated therewith, one element of mechanical interlocking means capable of cooperating with the corresponding element on the other member to mechanically lock the two button members together. So far as the present invention in concerned, it is immaterial just what form of mechanical locking means is employed, but preferably the two members of the button are interlocked in the same manner as disclosed in my prior Patent, No. 1,188,020, May 4, 1915. TV hen the button members are provided with this type of interlocking elements, one of the button members, for "instance that shown at A, will comprise a head portion 1, preferably formed of metal, and a projecting hollow shell or collapsible thimble 2. The thimble 2 is held in place by the inturned peripheral edge portion 3 of the head 1. A fabric covering, indicated at4, is applied to the head of the button and has its peripheral edge portion turned downwardly around the under surface of the head portion 1. The fabric covering 4 is held in place by being gripped at its extreme edge portion, indicated at 5, between the inturned edge portion 3 of the head and flange 6 provi ed on t ollapsible thimble 2. The other member B of the button may be constructed in substantially the same manner, with the exception that a tubular shank 7 is associated with the button head instead of the collapsible thimble 22, above described. The tubular shank 7 is provided with a peripheral inturned flange 8, for the purpose hereinafter described. The collapsible thimble '2 and the tubular shank 7 with its inturned flange 8 are substantially the same in construction as the corresponding parts of the button disclosed in my prior patentabove referred to.

v \Vhen it is desired to attach the button members to the fabric of a garment or the like, the members Aand B are positioned on either, side of the intervening portion of garment fabric, indicated at F, (Fig. The fabric is first perforated, as shown at a, so that the diameter of the perforation will be substantially the same as the external diameter of the tubular shank 7 of the but ton member B. The two parts of the button maybe forced together by any appropriate mechanism, and when so forced into interlocking engagement, the collapsible thimble 2 willpass through the central opening defined by the peripheral edge of the flange 8. The size of this opening, however, is so determined with respect to the diameter of the collapsible thimble 2 that as. the two parts ,of the-buttonare brought together, the in turned flange 8 will be deflected and turned the under surfacesof the heads of. the two button members. Theseunder surfaces are indicatedat 10 and 11, respectively, and are constituted by the underturned portions of the fabric coverings. It will, therefore, be noted thatthe surfaces of the heads of the button. members which would come in contact-with the garment .fabr-ic, if the coverngs were not provided, are supplied with a. covering of fabric; and, therefore, the und'er portions of the buttonmembers present to the fabric to be gripped, fabric-covered 7 surfaces capable of firmly gripping the int'er'vening fabric and preventing in ury to the same. The portion of the intervening fabrieFwhich is gripped in this manner is indicated at I), both sides of which, it will be noted, are gripped by means of fabriccovered surfaces of the button members.

The perforation in the garment fabric may be made of such size that no puckering of the fabric will result when the button is applied thereto, as would probably be the case if all parts of the garment fabric did not lie in substantially the same plane. Furthermore, as the garment fabric is gripped between two fabric-covered surfaces, the texture of the garment fabric will not be injured, as would be the case if it were clamped between metallic surfaces, especially when the button is applied to thin veilings and other delicate fabrics. The fabric-covered surfaces of the button members are also more capable of firmly gripping the intervening fabric than metallic surfaces, and the button may, therefore, be as firmly attached to very thin veilings as to relatively thick fabric, as the button members may exert sufficient pressure upon the intervening fabric to firmly grip the same without injuring it. Furthermore, it is obvious that the fabric-covered surfaces between which the intervening fabric is gripped present a rougher surface to the in--- tervening fabric than metallic surfaces would present, and for this reason also, the improved button may be firmly attached to the fabric.

As both members of the button are preferably supplied with the fabric covering, it is obvious that it will always present a neat and finished appearance irrespective of whether the button is viewed from the front or the rear. decorative button is visible on both sides, and, therefore, it is preferable to have both members of the button present a neat appearance. Also on garments made of thicker lVhen used on thin veilings, a

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fabrics, both sides of decorative buttons are J often visible, but as both sides of the present button are covered, it is immaterial, so far as its finished appearance is concerned, which side is viewed. It is obvious that the two fabric coverings for the button members" need not be identical, as it may be desirable, in some instances, to cover one button member wlth fabric of one color and texture, and

the other button member with fabric of a different color and probably a different texture.

F rom the foregoing, it will be seenthat the fabric coverings of the buttonmembers not only cause the same to present a neat appearance at all times, but provide efficonstruction of the button members is such that it may be made in minute sizes for veil decoration and similar purposes, without sacrificing the advantageous features above set forth.

WVhat I claim is 1. A button for garments and the like,

iso

comprising a pair of interlocking members having means for mechanically locking the same with a portion of the garment fabric intervening and gripped by the members, each of said members having a fabric-covcred surface adapted to be presented to the intervening garment fabric whereby the garment fabric may be clamped between two fabric-covered surfaces.

2. A button for garments and the like, comprising a pair of interlocking members having means for mechanically locking the same with a portion of the garment fabric intervening and gripped by the members, a fabric covering for each of said members so applied that the intervening garment fabric may be clamped between two fabric-covered surfaces. 7

3. A button for garments and the like,

intervening portion of perforated fabric,

said members and the interlocking means being designed to permit portions of the under surfaces of the members to closely approach each other when the button is applied to the garment fabric, and a fabric covering for each of said members so applied as to cover said portions of the under surfaces of the members wherebv when the button is applied to the garment fabric, the latter will be firmly gripped between the two fabric-covered under surface portions of the button members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE C. SNYDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

